Monday, July 4, 2011

Amanuensis Monday - The Diary of John N. Vasseur

I found John Vasseur's diary several years ago in the museum in Grand Falls. I have not seen the original, only the transcribed copy. It will take me a few posts. I have his brother William's diary as well, which I will transcribe afterwards. It is much more detailed, and will fill in some of the the blanks of John's. His is a copy of the original. John began his diary in 1898 and wrote his last entry in 1934, but it was pretty sketchy towards the end. Square brackets are my annotations.

A few key people:

John's father is James Vasseur/Levasseur
His mother is Severine Bellefleur Vasseur/Levasseur
His brother is William, and his sister is Mathilda Vasseur Crozier
His wife is Catherine aka Kate Mallen
His parents in law are Lawrence Mallen and Mary Roberge Mallen

The Diary of John N Vasseur

Jan. 18, 1898 Lawrence Mallen moved in Forbes's house [Lawrence Mallen would soon be his father-in-law]
No date Edmond Sirois born
March 1898 Annie McClusky came
May 10, 1898 I was sick 40 days
July 4, 1898 We had a mission in church
Oct 27 I joined the I.O.F. 
Oct. 31, 1898 I was sick 27 days

Jan. 18, 1899 I had a trial with Louise St. Amand
Jan. 21, 1899 I made a 4 bench hand sled
June 5, 1899 I went to board to F. Mallen
June 11, 1899 I went home again
June 12, 1899 I went boarding to F. Mallen again
June 12, 1899 Christie Mallen came home
July 3, 1899 I was sick 24 days
July 7 Christie went away
July 19, 1899 Mat Burgess got married
Sept. 14, 1899 I went to Saint John and crossed to Digby

Jan. 8, 1900 James Sirois ran away
June 1, 1900 Lawrence Mallen moved in the Yukon House
June 21, 1900 The train broke through G.F. Bridge [Grand Falls, New Brunswick]
July 23, 1900Albertha Dixon was drowned
July 28, 1900 She was found by Jas. Vasseur & Wm & John [his father, his brother and himself]http://www.museeacadien.ca/french/archives/fonds/cmba.htm
July 29, 1900 The CMBA held a picnic for Band
Aug. 10, 1900 Charles Curless built his Hotel
Aug. 10, 1900 Dave and and William Tardy went out west
Sept. 29, 1900 I joined the C.M.B.A.  [possibly the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association? see

June 1, 1901 A.A. Dixon Shop burned
June1, 1901 Corneiles O'Regan came from the west
July 23,1901 I went to Edmundston to a circus Panamon
Aug. 6, 1901 Frank Estey went out west
Aug. 14, 1901 I went to work for O.B. Davis [a saw mill, several miles outside of the town of Grand Falls]
Sept. 24, 1901 I went boarding home
Oct. 7, 1901 I went to Fort Fairfield with Kate [Kate, or Catherine Mallen, his fiance]
Oct. 29, 1901 I got married [to Kate Mallen]
Nov. 1, 1901 We began boarding home

Jan. 1, 1902 George D McClusky died
Jan. 9, 1902 A big ball at Curless opening of Hotel
Jan. 21, 1902 John McCluskey rent the store
Jan. 21, 1902 Adam Carroll got Louise St. Amand up and ran away
Jan. 22, 1902 I took my band instruments to C.M.B.A.
Jan. 28, 1902 I worked in Tom Mockler's house
Jan. 30, 1902 I worked on pews for Pere M.A. O'Keefe
Feb. 2, 1902 I drove Dr. Rouleau & wife home in the storm
Feb. 5, 1902 The C.M.B.A. sold the instruments to A.J. Martin $55.00
Feb. 10, 1902 A big party at Jas. Vasseur by M Grondin & Miss Price
Feb. 11, 1902 Frank Poitras got married     Danced at S. Martin
Feb. 12,1902 Wm. Vasseur came home from woods
Feb. 19, 1902 I bought bits 2 drill . . . etc. $2.50
Feb. 20, 1902 I bought chisles 1/8 1/4 3/8 1/2 5/8 3/4
Feb. 23, 1902 I bought a pew in church
Mar. 4 Louise St. Amand had a boy that morning    Carroll
Mar. 5, 1902 Mar Costigan came home from Ottawa
Mar. 6, 1902 Charles Curless was diging the drain pipe
Mar. 20, 1902 They were wheeling wagons in town
Mar. 24, 1902 Albyn Burgess struck A. Nadeau
Mar. 25, 1902 Ice ran out in night
Apr. 1, 1902 Mr. & Mrs. Mallen moved to Campbellton
Apr. 3, 1902 W. Vasseur went driving for Nobels
Apr. 7, 1902 I bought chisles 1/8 5/8 7/8 1 3/4 135 oil stone 45
Apr. 30 1902 I bought a steel square 60 cents
May 2, 1902 The water is up to high pitch
May 7, 1902 Wm. Vasseur came home from driving
May 8, 1902 A.J. Violet came to town in steam boat
May 23, 1902 Miss Amma Chassie and Miss Bernier came here
June 4, 1902 I bought a bit stock 1.75
June 8, 1902 Baptiste Michaud died at 4:30 p.m.
June 9, 1902 William Vasseur went up to St. Frances to work
June 15, 1902 We began with Atlantic Time at noon Sunday
July 2, 1902 I left the C.M.B.A.
July 4, 1902 I went to Presque Isle and a dance to V. Buren[Presque Isle and Van  Buren are in Maine, close     to the Canadian/US border]
July 25 Jef. & Fitz fought
July 28 Joe Carrol got married
Sept. 22, 1902 Pete Bourgoin got married
Oct. 6, 1902 Fred Dixon cut three fingers in (?) Shop
Oct. 14, 1902 Kate Mulherin got married to Jim McCormack
Oct. 21, 1902 Father and William went in woods in Aroostook [Maine]
Oct. 21, 1902 George Mockler got married
Oct 28, 1902 William Grenier got married
Nov. 14, 1902 Mrs. Mallen came back from Campbellton
Dec. 6, 1902 Show in K hall Stillwell Co
Dec. 16, 1902 Mat Burgess moved inhis house
Dec. 16, 1902 Father and Wm came home from woods
Dec. 17, 1902 I made Mat Burgess' front door
Dec. 19, 1902 Jeff was defeated by Jack Monroe
Dec. 23, 1902 Octave LeClair and Wm Pirie fought

Jan. 1, 1903 I bought a pew in church   4.25
Jan. 8, 1903 I made a new tool chest
Feb. 1, 1903 Ada Poitras had a child
Feb. 2, 1903 It fell 20 inches of snow
Feb. 7, 1903 I bought snow shoes from Father
Feb. 19, 1903 Mr. Save Smith died, got struck in  mill
Feb. 21, 1903 Charles Curless election
Feb. 23, 1903 J.N. Vasseur size arms 68 forearm 11 1/2 chest 34 waist 30 thigh 20 1/2 calf 13 height 5 ft. 6 in. neck 15 1/2 weight 135 lbs. age 25 years
Mar. 24, 1903 Bishop rogers died age 72
 Apr. 7 1903 P.G. Fraser died
May 16, 1903 Show Castle Square Stock played Jessie Jamer
May 22, 1903 Angus McLeod cut his feet
Aug. 15, 1903 We started keeping house
Oct. 29, 1903 Dr. John R. Wade died age 54
Nov. 22 Fred Pelletier drowned
Dec. 10, 1903 Wm. Grondon died

Jan.4, 1904 The men began working on the wharf
Jan. 5, 1904 Big fire in Chicago, 587 lives lost
Feb. 9, 1904 John Burgess got married
Mar. 5, 1904 James Mockler got married in V. Buren
Mar. 5, 1904William Mockler left his wife
Aug. 12 Big horse trot excursion I was on police 1.50
Aug. 13, 1904 Van Morrell walked wire over Grand Falls
Aug 22 Philliause Deschane got married
Sept. 27, 1904 George Smith got married to Mary Bois

Jan. 13, 1905 The snow shoe club was organized
Jan. 17, 1905 Chas Mulherin got married to Suzy Parent
Feb. 6, 1905 Organized orchestra
Feb. 12, 1905 Allen Murphy got a dance book

Feb. 13, 1906 Mother died at noon aged 57 [annotation penciled in, March 17, 1917, James Vasseur died in Caribou Maine aged 67. February 13, Severin his wife died in Grand Falls aged 57]
Sept. 18, 1906 Albyn Burgess got married
Oct. 8, 1906 George Soucie got married
Nov. 5, 1906 The church burned and restaurant

May 10, 1907 Jas. Vasseur bought a lot in semetary 10x12 ft. for 6.00
May 10, 1907 Jas. Vasseur bought a lot from Father Joyner 10 ft. x 12 ft. paid $6.00

Oct. 9, 1909 A. Moses went away
Nov. 15, 1909 I began keeping store

July 15, 1910 I build Hall 30x40 cost $580.09

May 18, 1911 Bought a lot from Joe O'Regan 60x148 ft. 250.00

Apr. 1, 1913 Build piers for steel bridge

May 1, 1914Bert Hall died the man I got my hammers from
July 5, 1914 Building steel bridge

1916 Bought part of lot from O'Regan for $180

Apr. 1, 1917 Father died in Caribou Maine aged 67

Feb. 7, 1920 Albyn Burgess's house caught fire
Aug 1920 Got Buick car
Oct. 13, 1920 Fixed well with cement put in pump cost $84.40

June 20, 1922 Flood
June 20, 1922 Build Grand River mill

1923 Build Box Pipe on bridge 6300 boards 3500 planks

1924 August 11 Helen Hallett lost

1925 Bought Star Car

1926 Sold house moved in big house

1927 Aug. 15 Raised house made foundation

1929 Dec. Shifted twin engine in O.B. Davis Co. mill

1930 Bought Durant Car $1400.

1932 February enlarged town office

August 3 Put on wheel to raise gate on dam for town
April 23 Alix LeClair's bank went down
April 23 Alfred Tardif was killed
April 23 Leonard Gagnon build mill
May 16 Joe Cormier's store burned 2 AM
Dec. 24, 1932 Alfred Laforest disappeared

Dec. 12, 1933 Bought 2 acres of wood from Desjardins for Town

Jan. 20, 1934 Bought 5 acres of wood from W. Price for Town
Mar. 12, 1934 Brought 2 1/2 acres of wood from W. Price for Town
Oct. 18 Went to Green River mill to build flume

Money taken from dance slot machine from 1914 - 1930 sums ranging from 43.49 to 869.75 summers
Nickel slot machine as well
Cost of factory May 1937
Acts. with O.B. Davis 1937 & 1938

Grand Falls District No. 7 Grand Falls V. Co for the school year Oct. 31st to April 30th 1877. 
Ages of those children at that time.

James Allen  7
Jenkins Barker  10
Ligam Bell  17
Joseph Bernier  14
Kate Bernier  10
Cilia Bradley  13
Thomas Bradley 8
Wm. P. Bradley  9
Ubad Boriceau  10
Gorge Bossee  13
Mary J. clifford  14
Josephine Coiron  14
Hattie Craven  12
Ambrose Currier  17
George Currier  15
Louisa Currier  12
Philonese Fanny  13
Ettie Forbes  7
Isabella Forbes  9
Ethel Glacier  7
Louis Grew  10
Rosella Hartt  11
Robert Herald  10
George Howard  9
James Howard  7
Wm. Hugar  6
Agnes Kelly  16
Alice Kelly  8
Emma Kelly  1
George Kelly  13
John Kelly  9
Elizabeth Lynch  15
Emeline Lynch  10
James Lynch  13
Annie Malcolm  12
John McAuley  11
Caroline McLuskey  7
Emma McCluskey  12
Henry B. McCluskey  11
I.R.E. McCluskey  8
John McCluskey  8
Mary A. McCluskey  12
Michael McCluskey  10
Patrick McCluskey  16
Rosella McCluskey  6
Agnes McCormic  17
Alfred D. McMillan  14
J. Fraser McMillan  12
Joseph Mosier  11
Michael Mosier  13
Rosella Mosier  7
Sophia Mosier  8
John Mulherin  11
Kate Mulherin  5
Marie Mulherin  9
Michael Mulherin  7
Patrick Mulherin  14
Julia Oillet  17
Louise Oillet  13
Frederick Patrois  7
Gabriel Patrois  9
John B. Patrois  14
Mary J. Patrois  12
Chas Pickett  13
Mary Price  11
Melvine Quigley  12
Bedell Rainsford  10
Fannie Rainsford  8
George W. Rainsford  11
Adelia Reed  11
Augusta Reed  7
Carrie Reed  9
Miller Reed  9
Kate Ryan  12
George Serois  12
John Serois  11
Philonse Soucie  14
Lenore St. Amand  16
Susan St. Amand  17
Jane Taylor  6
William Taylor  8
Alph Toner  12
John West  11
Thomas West  9








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